Earth Junk

[Editor’s Note: We featured Earth Junk in Sargent, Nebraska, many years ago, but there have been new and exciting things happening at the business so we decided it was worth an update story. And with Junk Jaunt weekend coming up at the end of September, what better time to stop by and check out the changes. Enjoy!]

Everything Old is New Again

My grandmother still uses the waffle iron she bought in 1955. Every time she takes it out, I marvel at the wonder of something made so well that it still works 60 years later. I certainly don’t expect that now. We are such a pathetically disposable society. Nothing is made to last and worse — we just accept it.

Furniture is no different. Slapped together in overseas factories with the cheapest of cheap materials, the sofa you buy today will end up on the curb marked FREE before you can say “You get what you pay for.” There is, of course, designer furniture, which is made much better. However, few people are willing to shell out $15,000 for a high-end dining room table. Take heart, though. There’s hope for all of us, and it’s located in tiny Sargent, Nebraska.

Earth Junk, founded out of a couple’s love of quality vintage furniture, has made a successful business of reselling American-made Ethan Allen and Tell City Furniture. Earth Junk has a physical storefront, as well as an Ebay store for customers who want to shop from the comfort of their home.

Tell us more

Nebraska Rural Living recently reconnected with Cindee Haddix, owner of Earth Junk, to hear about the new and exciting things happening with her business. Always the innovator, Cindee is working actively with a board of five directors to promote a new campaign to bring customers to Sargent.

“Most antique dealers wear several hats,” she said. “Day jobs pay the bills, but antiques are the passion. It’s very difficult for antique dealers to be open every weekend, let alone every day. We’ve created a way to accommodate the public with predictable hours, yet still allow our antique dealers to go to sales on weekends.”

That way is Shop Sargent Saturdays. On the third Saturday of every month, all seven antique and furniture stores located in Sargent will be open for business with maps and swoop signs welcoming customers in. Cindee and the board have also invited out-of-town antique dealers to come in and set up temporary shop on those Saturdays as well.

“I would love Sargent to become the antique capital of Nebraska,” she said with a laugh.

As we concluded our visit with a drive-by tour of the various antique and furniture stores in Sargent, it became abundantly clear she’s well on her way to doing just that.